Caroline was relishing the leisurely start to her day. Trusting Helen had all the details for the late afternoon ceremony well in hand, she was in no rush to make an appearance. Distractedly, she took a bite of her toast while she picked over a forgotten container of red raspberries she'd found pushed to the back of the fridge. She was exhausted from Gillian waking her at the crack of dawn but she knew she had no one other than herself to blame.
The night before, under the guise of needing a glass of water for her nightstand, she'd gone downstairs and placed a print out of the flight confirmation in a place Gillian would be sure to find it in the morning.
Six restless hours later Gillian burst into the bedroom, excitedly throwing herself on Caroline with abandon. The sound of her footsteps—unevenly clumping from the wearing of a solitary wellington boot and the repetitive "Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God!" she was shouting on her ascent—had woken Caroline mere seconds before the door flew open.
"Careful! If you break me, you'll have to carry all the luggage and I'm a heavy packer," Caroline chided as she rubbed the tender spot on her breast that had met with the farmer's elbow.
Unconcerned, Gillian responded by enthusiastically peppering her with kisses. Her lips expertly maintained contact with her sleep-scented lover as she moved the covers to unwrap her, wanting better access to fully express her appreciation.
"We've talked about wellies in the bedroom," Caroline grumbled light-heartedly when Gillian's ratty gumboot made contact with her newly-exposed shin. Gillian's response was to pin her more fully to the mattress and kiss her so deeply Caroline was breathless when it ended. "If you keep that up I'll make an allowance…this time…since it's only one."
"I were putting on me second boot and there it was. Couldn't imagine what my foot was feeling." Gillian spied the untouched water glass, the penny finally dropping as to when Caroline had managed to hide the itinerary. She shifted a bit so Caroline could sit up and share the rest of the details with her. "I were joking! But you did it! And for two weeks!"
"You deserve it after all you put up with this past year, and you can't go that far for just a week."
Gillian interrupted every other phrase with a few intentionally placed kisses along Caroline's collar bones and chest, her excitement obscuring all the details about the bungalow Caroline had booked at the Four Seasons Resort. In the end, where those kisses led was responsible for Gillian getting to the sheep later than planned and for Caroline's mellow morning mood.
When Caroline did make it out of bed, she was disappointed at not finding more than four raspberries that looked fresh enough to merit washing. She dropped the castoffs into the compost container for the chickens to enjoy. She finished her toast while standing at the sink, watching Gillian in the yard, feeling anything but disappointed by Gillian's uncontainable excitement about the surprise trip. It wasn't until Gillian disappeared around the other side of the house that Caroline noticed the time, dumped the dregs of her coffee and headed upstairs, wondering if Judith would be able to tell how they'd greeted the day.
They were all dangerously pissed as they sat around the dinner table, Judith entertainingly holding court while Gillian stirred and Caroline watched the performers, occasionally landing a sharp comment of her own to brighten the proceedings.
Caroline was relieved to be done with the official events. The afternoon had gone surprisingly well. Judith had been only mildly pissed when she walked into Caroline's office, clutching a bottle of water. The head teacher had taken it in stride, muttered a quiet, "Special water, Judith?" when the esteemed guest had taken a gulp of ostensibly bottled water. Judith had screwed up her face in response, giving the game away completely.
Knowing she'd been caught, she sheepishly offered, "Swig?"
"Not today, I'm good, thanks," Caroline said, shrugging her eyebrows like it was only to be expected, ignoring the bottle tipped in her direction.
Judith's sobriety had held up well during the previous months. They'd met a couple of times, and Judith had been sharp of mind and dry of alcohol each lunch. Caroline was hoping the dry spell might stick a bit better while Judith was without the poor influence of their sodden, mutual ex to perpetually encourage a leaping off the wagon.
"We'll do something about it tomorrow if you like," Caroline offered gently, taking one of Judith's wrists and giving it a playful shake.
Judith's face crumpled and she fell into Caroline's arms, wrapping her in a gigantic velvet hug. Fortunately for Caroline, this only lasted until Helen's fortuitous knock on the door, which prompted Caroline to whisk Judith on a quick tour of the new buildings before the official launch. As they walked down the corridor together, Helen's eyes nearly fell out of her head as she saw Judith's hand wander over her boss's bum before being quickly dealt with by Caroline, who pulled off a balletic spin to capture the offending hand in hers as if it was something she did every day. She'd then held the hand captive, patting it like Judith was an ageing aunt in need of comfort for the rest of the tour.
In the meantime, Helen and the deputy headteacher had managed the arrival of various board members and other dignitaries. On the dot of 4 o'clock, it was all systems go.
Helen flagged down Gillian when she arrived just before the ceremony started and steered her to her reserved seat beside Catherine and Cheryl in the front row, as per Caroline's instructions. With the last detail assigned to her completed, Helen took her own seat on the aisle beside Gillian.
Gillian was so struck by Caroline's commanding presence that when she saw her strut towards the podium she momentarily forgot how to breathe. Before Caroline had left the house mid-morning, Gillian had admired the sleek black Burberry dress bought specifically for the event. She knew Caroline was nervous about wanting to look her best in case any of the photos with Judith found their way into the national press. Seeing Caroline in her element, Gillian salivated at how well Caroline rocked it all, and with a magnetic attitude that seemed to be heightened even more by her heels. She was so turned on that for a few minutes, she didn't take in a word the headteacher was saying as she began to welcome everyone. Caroline's direct eye contact with her telegraphed affection, and without losing a beat in her remarks, told Gillian her presence mattered as much as anyone else there. Feeling luckier than she had ever imagined she'd be, her nerves about the dinner with Judith evaporated; she was the only one going home with the real star of the event and that was everything.
After a few minutes, she came back to the present and tuned into Caroline's speech and the dignitaries seated on the stage. Gillian couldn't help but notice Judith who was regularly switching her gaze between Caroline and where Gillian was sitting in the audience. The intensity in Judith's gaze set her on edge as she didn't know Judith well enough to read her expression.
As the program continued, Gillian could see Judith's ardour every time she gazed at Caroline and wondered if Judith was always that bad at keeping it in her pants. She could now see why a pillock like John had kept coming back. However, it wasn't until Judith took the microphone and made less than subtle suggestions of vigorous activity being good for you while leering at Caroline that Gillian started laughing. Elbowed in the ribcage by Helen, Gillian covered her mouth with her handkerchief, trying desperately not to snort or cackle or do something to embarrass Caroline.
Despite Judith's flagrant fervour for Caroline, only Helen had noticed, or if anyone else had, at least they'd had the good grace not to say anything. The launch had been a success, the publisher had been happy, the newspapers had their photos and videos, and the buildings had been officially opened for the students. All of this culminated in Caroline and Gillian joining Judith for dinner at a local Italian ristorante; safely tucked away in the back corner, with all the official business of the day behind them, the women had let loose.
Gillian, a few drinks under her belt, and having realised it was the first time she'd been in Judith's company without John, wondered if they were ever going to mention the John-shaped elephant in the room. Looking at her partner, she thought not, but the whim to stir was never far under her skin and she raised her glass for a toast. "Welcome to the first dinner of the 'We've Shagged John Club!"
Caroline's head whipped around and she glared at Gillian.
Judith leant back in her chair and roared with laughter.
"I have my internalised homophobia to thank," Caroline countered, still glaring at Gillian. "What's your excuse?"
"It were me birthday, and I were pissed!" Gillian exclaimed, before muttering miserably, "Barely remember it."
There was a pause during which all that could be heard above the hubbub of the restaurant was Judith's wheezing laugh as she struggled for breath.
"And the other times?"
Gillian looked at the table before shrugging. "Not the best decisions I've ever made." She turned her head to peek at Caroline.
"No." It was quietly spoken. "You're a pillock sometimes, my dear," Caroline added affectionately, before they looked at each other and burst into laughter.
It took them a while to calm down but once they had, as if on cue, they simultaneously turned to look at Judith, expectantly.
Judith smirked, holding her ground. "I was pissed too, well, for most of it." She fondled the water glass before looking directly at Caroline, smirking, "until we found role play. He was surprisingly inventive once we started—"
"Role play!" Caroline sputtered, aghast at the thought of trying that with John.
Gillian eyes shined with delight, her playful pixie smile overtaking her face.
Judith sat up before casually pouring herself another glass of red. "I'm surprised you didn't train John better in the bedroom, but perhaps you weren't up to the task…"
Gillian snorted, wine dribbling out of her nostrils until she grabbed a napkin to mop it up, hardly daring to look at Caroline.
Caroline froze. She cleared her throat, slowly lifted the dessert menu as if it was an antique deserving of great care. In the most withering voice she could dredge up, the one she used for brainless parents, Caroline imperiously intoned, "For education to work, Judith, the student must be willing to admit his flaws and learn from them, something John was never able to do."
Judith lounged in her chair, casually adding, "I thought you'd be keeping him in line better than that. I've found he rather likes a riding crop."
Caroline's jaw dropped open, staring at Judith as her mind tried to fathom the images flashing through her head.
Gillian howled with laughter, eventually exclaiming, "Giddy Up!"
Judith smirked victoriously, chugging more wine.
Caroline—now with a vision of Judith wearing nothing but a riding hat and red coat swatting John's saggy, naked buttocks with a riding crop—couldn't help herself and only moments later, was clutching onto Gillian while crying with laughter.
After she recovered, not sure she could take any more conversation about John and needing to remove those images from her mind, Caroline gracelessly changed the subject. "So are you still thinking about becoming a lesbian?"
Gillian cackled at the question. "Yeah. Are you? Or was that just about trying to land Caroline?"
"What am I, a fish?" Caroline playfully shot back.
Judith grasped the pendant dangling between her breasts, trying to latch onto something of her own as she responded. "After today, absolutely. What can you tell me about that gorgeous police woman who was seated beside you, Gillian? There was something about her that kept drawing my attention."
"Catherine?" Caroline responded, letting her surprise show.
"Yes. You were talking with her at the reception. I tried to make my way over but that ridiculous reporter kept asking questions. I couldn't break away and by the time I did, she was gone." Judith leaned forward in her chair, her interest obvious. "What can you tell me about her?"
Gillian wriggled in her seat before answering, "Catherine's divorced. Lives with her sister, who's a recovering heroin addict. She has two kids, one who's dead, the other who I think is finally talking to her again, and she's raising her her grandson." Gillian's potted history was so seemingly complete that it took Caroline by surprise.
"How do you know all that?" Caroline inquired, looking intently into Gillian's green eyes that were softer in the candlelight.
"I knew her at school and kept tabs on her over the years. She would sometimes check in on me after she left the detective squad and returned to the local station."
"Is she 100% straight? Sounds like it." Judith realised her hopes could be dashed with an answer she didn't want to hear.
"Nope."
Caroline's eyebrows instantly flew up under her fringe as her eyes opened as widely as they possibly could. "How...how do you know that?"
"I'll tell you later," Gillian quietly responded to Caroline, hoping her curiosity would hit the floor for the time being. She rested her hand on Caroline's thigh, giving it a small squeeze, before she turned her attention back to Judith. Suddenly she realised Judith wasn't sizing her up during the ceremony but was checking out Catherine. "So are you interested?"
"Yes! She's gorgeous in that uniform and hat, and I felt like I'd seen her somewhere before. But when I saw you talking with her, Caroline, it hit me that she looks so much like you."
"Yeah, she does, doesn't she? See, you are a fish," Gillian teased her lover. "She's still saying she's just gay for you."
"I'm sorry, I know that's what Cheryl said but I don't see it," Caroline responded as she squirmed a bit in her seat.
"So, do you want us to find a way to introduce you?" Gillian offered. "Think of the potential role playing you and that copper could get up to!"
Many more laughs, several hours, and almost as many bottles of wine later, the evening ended with the three women pouring themselves into Zara's limousine, sharing stories at John's expense until they made it home safely.
The next day none of them felt well, but Caroline dutifully drove to Judith's, encouraged her to get in the car and drove to her habitual rehab centre. When Caroline finally made it home, she curled onto the couch with Ruth nestled beside her and waited until her farmer came home.
